Re: tlug: Pointing devices

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <turnbull@example.com>]

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tlug note from "Stephen J. Turnbull" <turnbull@example.com>
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>>>>> "Ken" == Ken Schwarz <kls@example.com> writes:

    Ken> On mice at least, it's not dirt on the ball which causes
    Ken> trouble so much as a buildup of grime on the two axle rollers
    Ken> which contact it.  You have to use a fingernail or the shirt
    Ken> pocket clip end of a pen cap to scrape it off.  Then the
    Ken> mouse is good as new!  (Rolls smoother, too).

I opened it up, pulled out the rollers, cleaned them, scraped off some 
stuff that resembled earwax, twirled the rollers by hand (so I know
they spun, and how fast) with the same intermittent weirdness.

Trackballs do tend to have problems with skin oils, since they make
much more contact with skin than mouse balls do.

    Ken> PS. My mousepad is not much more than 5x5 inch square.  How
    Ken> much more could that be than a desktop track ball?

1.25 inches plus about 2 inches of clearance on the side.  The PC Trac
is 3-13/16" wide, and I have 4-1/2" clearance next to the keyboard.
Since all hand motion is up and down, the tight tolerance doesn't
matter (and I can find the trackball without looking at it, I always
fumble for the mouse---and look).

But I could probably find space for a 5x5 inch mouse pad, plus a
little side-to-side clearance.  My Gateway's mouse pad is 8.5"Wx7.5"D
and that's too big (it's needed, too); I'd have to buy a new computer
desk.

Steve

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